Agree the page plan.
We settle what the site needs to cover, which facts and assets are available, and what would need a separate scope.
Before the first design
A website brief that gives the work somewhere to start.
You do not need to write a creative manifesto or finish every page of copy. A useful brief gives the designer a truthful picture of the business, the people it serves, the work the site must do and the constraints it cannot ignore. The design decisions can follow.
The useful information
Eight answers that move the project forward.
Write a few honest sentences for each. If you do not know an answer, mark it as a question to settle together. Specific uncertainty is more useful than a confident guess.
- 1What does the business do?
List the services you actually sell, the places you genuinely serve, and any work you do not want to attract. Explain it as you would to a new customer, without slogans.
- 2Who needs the website?
Describe the people making the decision. Are they comparing providers, checking credibility, booking a service or looking for practical information? Different visitors may need different routes.
- 3What do they ask before saying yes?
Send questions from calls, emails and enquiries. Include the awkward ones: costs, timescales, service boundaries, qualifications and what happens next.
- 4Which pages and functions are essential?
List the known services, existing pages worth keeping, contact method and any form, booking or integration requirement. Leave the final page structure open to discussion.
- 5What can support your claims?
Share photographs you can use, product information, credentials, real project details and testimonials with permission. Mark anything still awaiting approval.
- 6What visual direction fits?
Show a few sites, images or brands you like and say why. “Clear typography and generous space” is more actionable than “make it pop”. Point out anything that would feel wrong for your business.
- 7What must stay working?
If you already have a site, identify the domain registrar, current email provider, important URLs, live forms and any analytics or Search Console access. Do not send passwords through a public enquiry form.
- 8Who will approve the work?
Name the person who can confirm business facts, gather feedback and approve launch. Give the real deadline and say what drives it, especially if another event depends on the site.
A quick way to start: send your current URL, a short description of the business, the services that need explaining, three customer questions, and your preferred way to receive an enquiry. The rest can be worked through together. If you are unsure what photographs to gather, use the website image planning guide to make a short, useful list.
What you do not need to solve alone
Bring the facts. Let the work take shape.
Do not spend a week inventing an exact sitemap if you are unsure how customers should move through it. The designer should help turn the real services and questions into a page plan. Likewise, a mood board can indicate a direction without dictating every colour and component.
At UpOnUp, page planning, copywriting, original design and build are part of the £799 project for up to 30 agreed pages. We prepare the words; you check the factual claims, legal wording, names, prices and contact details. If you have an existing site, we review it rather than assuming every old page should disappear.
For a way to decide how many pages you need, use our website page planning guide.
Make it usable
Build a brief you can actually send.
Keep each answer short. Add links to examples and list the material you can share. If something is missing, say so. You can copy the finished text or download it to use with any provider.
A brief you can take away
Put the useful facts in one place.
Answer what you know. Leave the rest as questions for your designer. Your answers stay on this page until you copy or download them; they are not sent to UpOnUp.
If you are comparing providers, send the same brief to each and compare their written scope. Ask who writes the copy, who owns the finished files, what review is included and which costs continue after launch.
Our first milestone
The clock starts with confirmed details.
For the UpOnUp £799 build, the first reviewable website is due within 48 hours after payment and confirmation of the necessary business details. It is a working first version for review, not an automatic launch.
Judge the real site.
Check whether the words, hierarchy and visual direction make sense for your business. Gather comments into one clear response.
Confirm and approve.
Two consolidated refinement rounds are included. We publish after your approval and when any necessary domain steps are ready.